Permission to Dream: Libraries as Places of Participatory Culture, Transliteracy, & Connections with the World
Andy Plemmons, School Librarian David C. Barrow Elementary
Athens, GA
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“You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.”
-- Unknown
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“Let’s consider that reality testing may be just another way of stifling imagination.”
Source: http://schoolreforminitiative.org/doc/thinking_out_box.pdfCc image: http://www.fotopedia.com/items/flickr-4928206479
“Great librarians experiment with new services and are not afraid to fail rapidly. There is a difference between a failure and a mistake. A mistake is when you do something wrong and don’t learn
from it. A failure is something you try that is a little bit beyond your reach, but you can figure out how to do it better next time.”
~David Lankes, Expect More
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"School libraries can serve as test beds to explore. As others follow our lead, teacher librarians can play a
valuable role, SUPPORTING EDUCATORS for whom this brave new world represents change and
uncertainty." ~Mark Ray, Vancouver Public Schoolshttp://bit.ly/Zo2b0D
Successful library programs are made of
many strands tangled together.
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Librarians and members
weave these strands to create a beautiful tapestry.
Participatory Culture is grounded in…
Relatively low barriers to artistic expression and civic engagement
~Henry Jenkins
Source: http://bit.ly/opm6Ml
How can we lower barriers for our members?
Co-teaching
Students as teachers
Collaborative partnerships
How can we INVITE FAMILIES
to participate in our programs?
http://bit.ly/1f8EtiE
Reorganizing our collections based on user needs
strong support for creating and sharing one’s creations with others
~Henry Jenkins
Source: http://bit.ly/opm6Ml
“When we allow children to
experiment, take risks, and play with their own ideas, we give them permission to
trust themselves.”
~Sylvia Martinez & Gary Stager, Invent to Learn
Weather forecasts in PreK
Muralists in Kindergarten
Digital Photography projects in 1st grade
Regions of Georgia Commercials in 2nd Grade
Paul Revere Choice Projects in 3rd Grade
School T-shirt design in 4th grade
Documenting history in 5th Grade
Gamification
the ability to read, write and interact across a range of platforms, tools and media from signing and orality through handwriting, print, TV, radio and film, to digital social networks.
Source: http://nlabnetworks.typepad.com/transliteracy/
Transliteracy:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nhn_2009/5416794944/
Not Print vs. Digital
How can students experience and create across multiple platforms, tools, and media?
New forms of mentor texts
Multiple platforms for gathering information
Multiple platforms for experiencing an event
Source: http://bit.ly/15f7VPN
Transmedia storytelling
~Laura Fleming
what is known by the most experienced is passed along to novices
~Henry Jenkins
Source: http://bit.ly/opm6Ml
“It is unacceptable and unnecessary to deny children the opportunity to
work on something they are passionate about because the teacher is not an expert in that particular field.”
~Sylvia Martinez & Gary Stager, Invent to Learn
How do we identify expertise?
Pairing older with younger
Students sparking new ideas
Students designing instruction
http://bit.ly/15NvgGE
Students as school-wide tech leaders
members believe that their contributions matter
~Henry Jenkins
Source: http://bit.ly/opm6Ml
“We should expect more than simply being consumers or users of
the library; we should expect to be members--helping to shape the library itself.” ~David Lankes, Expect More
How do we honor student voices?
How do we connect
students to opportunities?
Making decisions about library content
Designing ways to make all voices heard in library decisions
Surveying every grade with iPads and Google forms
Analyzing spreadsheet data
Collection development
Students marketing to students
Expanding to Community Contributions
Not every member must contribute, but all must believe they are free to contribute when ready and that what they contribute will be appropriately valued.
~Henry Jenkins
Source: http://bit.ly/opm6Ml Source: http://bit.ly/opm6Ml
How do we invite our members to participate in their library?
“Libraries need to be of the community, not simply
for the community.” ~David Lankes, Expect More
Opportunities to contribute
Opportunities to problem solve
Opportunities to find something new
Inviting creativity through contests
Student-made book displays
“The learning space is the ‘third teacher’ in the parlance of the Reggio Emilia approach. It
should inspire, motivate, nurture, and inform practice as much as a parent or teacher.”
~Sylvia Martinez & Gary Stager, Invent to Learn
Celebrating success
Source: http://bit.ly/opm6Ml
members feel some degree of social connection with one another
~Henry Jenkins
http://bit.ly/1b2ONHh
Do our students understand the global society?
How do we connect them to experiences
beyond our walls?
“We serve the same youth.” ~Marcus Lowry, Ramsey County Public Library, MN
Collaborating with Public Libraries
Collaborating with local bookstores
http://wp.me/p2F77Z-ax
YouTube
Blogging
Tweeting with 1st graders
Bird research with Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Skyping with Rick BrooksCo-Founder of Little Free Libraries
World Read Aloud Day
Talk like a Pirate Day
International Connections
CONNECTING with other librarians leads to rewarding experiences for students.
multiple FORMS of collaboration to connect beyond walls
collaboration can start with a simple CONVERSATION that leads to UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITIES
Connecting through shared text
Connecting through student blogging
Paper Blogging
Making our posts public
Paper commenting
Online commenting
"Everybody in the world can learn how to do TuxPaint now because I made that instructional video, and my story is
FAMOUS!" ~George, Kindergarten student
"I like to HEAR MYSELF read my TuxPaint story. Everybody knows I can read now."
~Ja'Cari, Kindergarten student
http://bit.ly/1eyzO8y
Long-distance librarians
What are your barriers?
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Filtering
Limited Funding
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TimeCc image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gozalewis/3256814461/sizes/l/in/photostream/
Inadequate staffingCc image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/herzogbr/2109746676/sizes/l/in/photostream/
Lack of volunteers
Cc image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hokkey/1461434616/sizes/z/in/photostream/
Reaching our library members
Cc image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/golbenge/5400710724/
Developing independence
How do we build bridges to move beyond these barriers?
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How do we find the threads that move us forward rather than remain tangled in our frustrations?
Cc image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/overthinkingme/4461741774/lightbox/
“One of the responsibilities of being a teacher is to translate the mandates of the educational system to something that helps children understand their world.” ~Sylvia Martinez & Gary Stager, Invent to Learn
We have the opportunity to start the conversation now.
http://bit.ly/1fnJDEY
Expect the Miraculous
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Contact:Blog: http://barrowmediacenter.wordpress.com
Twitter: @plemmonsa @barrowmc
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/David-C-Barrow-Elementary-Media-Center/128735320830
Website : http://www.clarke.k12.ga.us/webpages/aplemmons
Email: [email protected]
Resources:• Jenkins, H., Clinton, K., Purushotma, R., Robison, A.J. & Weigel,
M. (2006). Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media Education For the 21st Century. Retrieved September 22, 2013. http://www.newmedialiteracies.org/files/working/
NMLWhitePaper.pdf
• Lankes, R. Expect More: Demanding Better Libraries for Today’s Complex World. CreateSpace, 2012. Print.
• Martinez, Sylvia Libow., and Gary Stager. Invent to Learn: Making, Tinkering, and Engineering in the Classroom. Torrance, CA; Constructing Modern Knowledge, 2013. Print.